Obama Won’t ‘Rubber Stamp’ Military Decisions
abc news
BAGHDAD, Iraq
July 21, 2008
VIDEO INTERVIEW IS HERE JUST CLICK THEN CLICK ON THE VIDEO – thank you
After meeting with top U.S. military commanders and members of the Iraqi government, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., today said his opposition to the surge and support for a firm timetable for the withdrawal of troops hasn’t changed.
In an exclusive interview, Obama told “Nightline” that if elected president, “we’re going to begin to phase out our troops.”
Obama is seeing a vastly different Iraq than the one he saw when he last visited more than two years ago. Violence and American casualties are way down, and the streets of Baghdad are bustling again.
So far this month, five U.S. troops have been killed in combat, compared with 78 U.S. deaths last July. Attacks across the country are down more than 80 percent. Still, when asked if knowing what he knows now, he would support the surge, the senator said no.
“These kinds of hypotheticals are very difficult,” he said. “Hindsight is 20/20. But I think that what I am absolutely convinced of is, at that time, we had to change the political debate because the view of the Bush administration at that time was one that I just disagreed with, and one that I continue to disagree with — is to look narrowly at Iraq and not focus on these broader issues.”
Wild Thing’s comment…….
“My job is to think about the national security interests as a whole and to weigh and balance risks in Afghanistan and Iraq. Their job is just to get the job done here, and I completely understand that.”
Obama, in his arrogance, failed to recognize that Petraeus, having recently been promoted to head up Centcom, which oversees both Iraq and Afghanistan, would also be looking at Iraq from the same perspective.
I will never forgive Hussein Obama for his treatment when General Petraeus spoke here the last time, and now I will add this to how he has chosen not to heed the words of General Petraeus.
If he does not care what the General says to him before he ( Obama) is President ( if he wins), he sure as heck is NOT going to listen to him when he is in the Oval Office.
Dear God please dont’ let this military hater become Commander in Chief.
I totally agree. Mary Matelin on the TV last night when it was mentioned Obama the candidate for change said yes candidate for change his mind. She has him pegged right. I have never put a campaign poster in my front yard, but perhaps the next time I see Obamigans campaigning for him will ask for one and get a white marker and put a big N in front of OBAMA and an X across his O ensignia. Then I will have a NOBAMA poster compliments of his campaign.
National Security Interests are the furthest thing from his Communist mind, he wants to hand over our sovereignty to the UN, let the UN dictate our future and control our forces. We are going to see a mass exodus from all branches of the military if this fool gets in the Whitehouse. LBJ micromanaged the military and bungled it all the way, he surrounded himself with pacifists like Clark Clifford, Robert McNamara and Ramsey Clark. Who does Obama have lined up? Lynne Stewart as Attorney General. Secretary of defense? Maybe it’s his good friend and mentors Saul Alinsky, Bill Ayers, Carl Davidson, Frank Marshall Davis and Bernardine Dohrn.
Bob, thanks for sharing about Matelin, I am glad she said that. She can be pretty good when she gets on a roll. heh heh
Jack, oh my gawd, the UN, how awful this will be if Obama wins.
At the rate we’re going, we’ll all be looking for change–any loose change we can get if he gets elected. Sometimes you have to rubberstamp some things. It’s part of life. You make a decision and it has to stick. You have to make it work with what you have. He has no clue what he’s getting his little butt into, does he?
Lynn, LOL good way to put it, yes I am trying to figure out now where we can cut back in case Obama becomes President.